Remaining amount of toner detecting apparatus, toner cartridge and image forming apparatus
US7499656B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 18, 2004 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 17, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/0875
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An object of the present invention is to provide a remaining amount of toner detecting apparatus capable of highly accurately detecting the remaining amount of toner with a simple configuration, a toner cartridge in which the remaining amount of toner is highly accurately detected with a simple configuration, and an image forming apparatus which enables the operator to easily recognize time to resupply toner and is capable of forming an image of high image quality. A holding member (22) is flexible, one end (22a) in the longitudinal direction is connected to a stirring member (11), and the other end (22b) in the longitudinal direction holds a detection auxiliary member (21) disposed in a housing (8). Consequently, the holding member (22) and the detection auxiliary member (21) rotate as the stirring member (11) rotates. Moreover, as to the detection auxiliary member (21), since the holding member (22) is flexible, the rotation radius of the detection auxiliary member (21) changes in response to the reference amount of toner (7). A detecting component (2) detects the distance to the detection auxiliary member (21) that changes in response to the amount of the toner (7) in the housin…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.